Always a big thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC.
If you love a slow-paced, moody mystery set in the Pacific Northwest this book is for you.
I was curious regarding the suicide/murder and whodunnit plot of the book so that really drove me to the end.
However, the romance and character relationships in the book left me wanting. I felt the main character and his relationships were portrayed very superficially.
Overall, it was an easy read but left me wanting more.

A light, easy to read mystery novel debut from Sarah Crouch. Elijah Leith has returned to the small Puget Sound town of Point Orchards, following the death of his father and his failed writing career. He is still single, still holding flame for his teenage sweetheart, Nakita, who lives on the nearby reservation. He finds himself implicated in the murder of a young doctor, Erin Landry. Erin is found hanging from a tree near Elijah's cottage and the circumstantial evidence suggests she died in the exact manner detailed in Elijah's novel. With atmospheric descriptions of life in the wilderness to a bit of romance and mystery and courtroom drama thrown in, this book has all the elements for an entertaining, quick summer beach read.

Thank You NetGalley, Atria Books and Sarah Crouch for the ARC

Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC.

Sigh. I hate to give such a low rating but I really really did not like this one. First, the prologue was great. It was a really wonderful start to this mystery and I’m sad it was all downhill from there. This was so slow. I found it really hard to pick back up.
The main character Elijah was a very entitled guy who refused to take no for an answer. He had no understanding of or respect for the women he interacted with. Really disliked him. I didn’t believe or care for the love story.
I find the woman is crazy/went crazy is a problematic trope and also… don’t do your character dirty like that. Was not fair.
I don’t mind suspending belief for a lot of things, but I just did not like this story and what happened in it. So it was harder not to pick at all the unbelievable things about it.

This was a great debut but unfortunately I'm not sure if i was quite the right fit for this book. The first half moved pretty slowly for me but it definitely picked up in the end. Middletide has been likened to Where the Crawdad's Sing which is where it sort of left me since I wasn't the biggest fan of that one.

I am also unsure how I feel about a made-up Indeginious tribe- it seems a bit callous or insensitive, perhaps. The character arcs were (usually) bland and was missing some "umph". The descriptions of the PNW were written beautifully but it was difficult for me to overlook the lackluster of everything else.

I'm sure many people will love this but it wasn't for me. Many thanks to Netgalley for an e-arc in exchange for my honest review :)

Middletide releases tomorrow and I think it’s going to be a hit!

If you liked Where the Crawdads Sing you will love Middletide. This was a solid mystery for me, keeping me engaged and wondering how the author was going to twist it in the end. I was impressed! Extra impressed to learn this is her debut novel!!

I will say that I thought the timelines were a little confusing. We go from a few POVs within a few years, and I kept flipping back being like wait, what year are we in now? But honestly, that was not a gamechanger for me in the grand scheme!

This had a little thriller, a little recluse living, love lost, love found, family dynamics, living off the land, novel writing, and a little law and order. And I thought it all worked!!

Definitely recommend!!

Thank you to Atria, NetGalley, and Sarah Crouch for an early copy in exchange for an honest review!

Middletide by Sarah Crouch is an intriguing debut that centers around part coming of age and part murder mystery.

In the quiet town of Point Orchards, Dr. Erin Landry’s body is found hanging from a tree on the property of Elijah Leith, a failed writer. Initially deemed a suicide, Sheriff Jim Godbout soon suspects foul play, noticing eerie similarities to a scene from Elijah’s novel.

Elijah returns to his childhood home, disheartened by his failed career, and begins renovating his father's old cabin. He also tries to reconnect with Nakita, the girl from the nearby reservation he never forgot. As the town turns against him, Elijah must prove his innocence and uncover the true culprit framing him for murder, in a gripping tale of love, loss, and revenge.

I found Middletide to be not what I was expecting. I was expecting a heavier focus on the murder mystery portion of the story but the true focus is on the characters and their lives as they grow up and change. This style is more reminiscent of "Where the Crawdads Sing" and had a bit of a slow pace for about 60% of the book.

I did enjoy the plot twists in the murder mystery but I did feel the other parts of the story were more dragged out than they needed to be. I also personally found the creation of a fake native American tribe to be odd, as its set in the PNW where there are many tribes and the author could have interviewed/discussed/researched with someone from a local tribe to make Nakita and the others more authentic (the reservation and the way it worked just seemed off to me). It made the fiction, truly fictional rather than making the story real.

Overall Middletide is an interesting debut with a thoughtful premise but not the best execution.

4.5 stars rounded up to 5 for Goodreads.

Many thanks to Simon and Schuster Audio for my gifted ALC in exchange for my honest review and NetGalley for my e-arc.

What an incredible debut! I can always appreciate a mystery with depth. Middletide starts when two fishermen discover the body of the local attractive doctor hanging from a tree on the property of Elijah Leith. From here we bounce between timelines of the present and the past all leading to the mind boggling end.

From the cover to the last line, I enjoyed every word. Crouch offers beautiful prose with richly developed characters reminding me of William Kent Krueger. I would not classify this as a "thriller" but more a slow burn mystery. While it lagged at times, I was invested in the outcome for Elijah.

My only complaint was the obsession or "pining" that our MC had for his high school girlfriend that he hasn't seen or spoken to in 20 years. That felt off to me but did not detract too much from the story.

The audiobook is short and easy to listen to at only 6 hours long. Our narrator, Kaleo Griffin does an exceptional job of keeping the pace going. He swiftly transitioned to make each voice distinct based on the character. It was an enjoyable listen and i would highly recommend the audio experience.

Nicely done for a debut!

The isolated, moody atmosphere definitely comes across in this whodunnit with multiple timelines. I could imagine myself in the woods near where I grew up with the cool summer air on my skin. However, the storyline fell flat for me. The reveal felt unrealistic and was ultimately a let down. Other parts of the plot were rather depressing and characters were not likable.

This was an enjoyable, slow burn thriller. The twist was a bit predictable but I enjoyed the story as it developed and the writing was beautiful. I really wanted to be at Elijah's cabin, it sounded so peaceful and calming.

3.5*
This is a strong mystery/thriller by a debut author. This review will remain a little vague because I believe the story is best if the reader goes in blind.
What I loved:
- the Pacific Northwest setting
- the twist idea

What I think could have been stronger:
- the Native American reservation connection (other than it was near Port Orchards and where Nakita lived)
- the dual timelines were sometimes a little confusing, so close together that I often wasn't sure which timeline I was entering
- lots of the plot points seemed unrealistic (the last-minute attorney, the found witness, the actual motive, Elijah's talking with the sheriff and deputy during the trial ). One or two of these may have worked, but not all of them.

I think this would make a great book club choice because I definitely wanted to talk to others after reading it. There are so many parts of the story to hash out.
Many thanks to #AtriaBooks and #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

MIDDLETIDE is Sarah Crouch’s debut novel. It is a riveting story of love, loss and revenge that kept me guessing right up until the surprising conclusion. It is set in the small Puget Sound town of Point Orchard and told in multiple timelines. The community is shocked when the body of Dr. Erin Landry, is found hanging from a tree with a suicide note nearby. She was found on the property of Elijah Leith, who had recently returned to his childhood home after his writing career failed to launch. However, as the investigation progresses, there are clues that suggest that the doctor’s death may not be by suicide after all. The details bear an uncanny similarity to those from Elijah’s novel, instantly making him the prime suspect. Elijah claims to be innocent. Did someone frame Elijah for the murder using the words from his own book? As Elijah races to prove his innocence, he is also fighting to regain the trust of his high school sweetheart, Nakita. The story is atmospheric and full of twists and turns that keep the tension high. I enjoyed this intriguing murder mystery and look forward to reading more from Sarah Crouch. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read and review an early copy.

Middletide is the debut novel from Sarah Crouch.

"33-year-old Elijah Leith returns to his hometown, trying to pick up the pieces of his failed writing career. And hoping to connect with the woman he still loves but betrayed. When a young doctor is found hanged to death on his property, he becomes the main suspect. Now Elijah must fight for his innocence."

What a fantastic debut from Crouch. The story resolves around Elijah - his guilt over abandoning the love of his life - his family - thinking that the town and its residents weren't big enough for his dreams. It's nice to see him start to find his way back.
There is tragedy and a death that on the surface looks like a suicide, but is really something else. Crouch does a good job keeping us guessing.
This book has been called atmospheric. Crouch's writing takes you to the PNW and to the depths of these characters.

"Just as in winter, when the ground needed to be tilled and the dead trees pruned, the hopeless seasons of life were a chance to grapple with the hard soil of his heart and let the sadness hit him like the sharp edge of a hoe, breaking apart the unyielding ground there."

Surprising ending from Crouch. Don't miss this wonderful book this year.

What a wonderful debut novel! The PSW made a beautiful and haunting setting for this murder mystery. This is the story of Elijah, a failed author who returns to his small town. When returning, he tries to reconnect with his high school love, a young woman from a local reservation, who he left in a quest for literary fame years ago.

Shortly after returning, a prominent doctor in the area, Erin, is found dead- hanging from a tree in his front yard. He is immediately the main suspect in the investigation of the death of this women as his novel eerily describes a death very similar to the one that occurred on his property. He maintains his innocence through out and must prove it during his trial. This ultimately was an entertaining read, but it took awhile to pick up and while a fan of multiple timelines, but I was a bit confused. I would recommend to anyone who enjoys a slow burn thriller.

A debut, Middletide was a slow-paced read with an overly descriptive first part that included day by day descriptions of the main character’s homesteading life, working the land, growing vegetables, etc. The second half focused on a murder mystery but the twist was predictable from earlier on and there were obvious plot holes left hanging at the end of the book.

There is an Indigenous tribe storyline that goes nowhere with no real interweaving of the culture into the plot. Moreover, the author notes that the tribe is one she made up but doesn’t explain why this was necessary.

I did find the nature descriptions well written and the book was a quick, short read.

Overall, not a strong read for me.

Thanks to the publisher for this complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

Thank you, NetGalley and Atria books for this advanced reader's copy. This was a solid debut thriller. The body of Dr Erin Landry is found, and it goes back and forth between suicide and murder as her death looks eerily like that in the book written by owner of the property where she was found. The book tells the story by bouncing back and forth in time between the late 1980's and the early 1990's. The story is told by the perspective of Dr Landry before her death; Elijah Leith, who wrote the novel in the book, aptly titled Middletide, and owns the property where Dr Landry's body was found; and Nakita, the girl from the reservation that Elijah has always loved. The story ties in how these three people's lives have intertwined and have possibly caused the final outcome of the events that have occurred. It was an interesting and engaging story and I will definitely be looking forward to reading more from this author in the future.

One morning in a small Pacific Northwest town, two fisherman go to their secret fishing spot and find Dr. Erin Landry, dead and hanging from a tree. They immediately call the police, who realize this happened on author Elijah Leith’s land, and the manner of death is almost exactly as he wrote one in his novel. Was it a murder or a suicide, and who did it?

Jumping back and forth in time, this tells the story of Elijah and his first love, his failed writing career, learning to live off the land his family left him, and proving his innocence in a murder trial. The land itself was a main character, and I found myself really enjoying reading about how Elijah cared for and appreciated homesteading. The time jumps were confusing, and I wish it was written more linearly, even though I know it was for a purpose. I found myself sucked in and unable to put this down once I got about 30% in.

I’ve heard this compared to Where The Crawdads Sing, so if you enjoyed that one I would recommend checking this out!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The blurb promises a gripping and intensely atmospheric debut and succeeded! I’ve seen mixed reviews from early reviews and tried to manage my expectations but that wasn’t needed at all, I think this was a fantastic book. Crouch has some beautiful writing, a killer (no pun intended) setting, and a compelling murder mystery. There were definitely some aspects of the mystery that required suspension of belief but it was overall satisfying and not too outlandish as to be rendered unenjoyable. I love how the timelines connected and while I did figure out the culprit, I didn’t guess the motive. I do feel the payoff could’ve been better for how slow of a burn this was but it was an incredibly solid read.

Highly recommend to fans of atmospheric and small town settings, slow burn mysteries, and dual timelines.

I had high hope for this book. Several people I follow chose "Middletide" as their Book of the Month pick, but I just could not get into the story. I did DNF it. The writing itself was good and I love the cover, it just wasn't for me.

If you’re a fan of Where the Crawdad Sings, then you should give Middletide a read.

The similarities are that both books take place in a small town where the townspeople turn on the loner from the outskirts when the murder of a beloved townsperson occurs. Besides that, Middletide is its own unique story.

A disclaimer: as mentioned in many reviews, this book is a slow burn. At some points, it does feel like the pacing is a little too slow, at least when it comes to describing all of the MC’s homesteading projects. It can feel like there’s too much scene setting going on, when all the reader wants is to go back to the murder investigation. However, the beautiful prose does make up for that, and at least makes those passages pleasant to read.

I wouldn’t say this book is truly a thriller/suspense novel, but more of a mystery. I can’t say I was on the edge of my seat a lot because of the slow pacing, although I did perk up a bit once I found out why the book is called Middletide. There is also a love story that ties heavily into the plot, so there are some elements of romance, but definitely not enough to qualify it as a romance book.

With all that being said, I’m pretty surprised that the average Goodreads rating isn’t higher, especially considering that it’s a BOTM pick. I do understand if it’s because of the concerns regarding representation (the author creates a fictional Native American tribe that heavily ties into the story). But other than that, and perhaps the slow pacing, this book is written beautifully, especially considering it’s a debut. So if you’re curious about the book, and you are aware of these disclaimers ahead of time, I think you’ll enjoy reading it.

I'd definitely recommend picking up a physical copy though, because there's a lot of shifting timelines, and it'd be easier to flip back and forth in a hard copy to keep track of where you are than it is electronically.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for sharing this digital ARC with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Middletide by Sarah Crouch will be out June 11, 2024.

I loved listening to this atmospheric, slow paced mystery - which definitely picks up towards the end when all the different parts start to come together .
At first was a bit confused as the book went back and forth in time but I did get used to it once I started paying more attention to the dates at the beginning of each chapter 😂

I was surprised to find out this was a debut novel! I can’t wait to read more from this author .